Asbestos Disposal and Potential for Recycling

Asbestos disposal and potential for recycling are essential for protecting people from the harmful effects of asbestos exposure. Laws and regulations describe how asbestos should be disposed of. New technologies may lead to safer recycling of asbestos.

The Dangers of Asbestos and Where It’s Found

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring set of minerals mined from the earth. Asbestos exposure has been linked to life-threatening illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer.

Yet, since asbestos resists fire, heat, electricity, and many chemicals, it’s been used in many applications over the years. There’s a record of its use dating back to ancient times.

Asbestos was used extensively as insulation in homes and on ships in modern times, specifically the materials used to make vinyl flooring, roofing tiles, siding, paint, and patching compound.

Asbestos was also used in heat-resistant fabrics, around steam pipes, and in car brakes and clutches. These are some of the places you could still find asbestos today, especially in older buildings and homes.

The U.S. government does not currently ban asbestos. However, it has to be used in the safest way. Manufacturers can only use a fraction of the amount of asbestos previously used before the enforcement of strict regulations.

Asbestos and the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) to help people avoid illnesses and fatalities caused by toxic air pollutants, including asbestos.

The standards include guidelines for demolishing buildings with asbestos and disposing of the asbestos correctly.

According to the EPA, any building (unless the affected area is less than 260 linear feet) undergoing demolition and renovation must first be inspected to determine how much asbestos it contains.

If a certain threshold amount of asbestos is found during an inspection, it must be reported to the appropriate agency, typically a state agency.

For example, in Florida, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection handles reports of asbestos.

Keep in mind that most states require that you hire a professional, licensed asbestos inspector to detect asbestos in homes and buildings. 

Trained, licensed professionals must also carry out asbestos abatement. The guidelines for removing asbestos and preparing it for disposal include:

• Wetting all materials that contain the mineral and sealing them in leak-tight containers, clearly labeled, or with thick bags (at least 6 mil and double bagged), sealed tight with duct tape for rigid, non-friable asbestos. 
• Ensuring there are warning signs, clearly labeled, around the work area, that alerts the public about asbestos.
• Wearing protective gear at all times when preparing asbestos for disposal, include a HEPA respirator.

Asbestos Can Only Be Disposed of in Certain Landfills

Once asbestos or asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are wetted and secured in the proper containers, the materials must be transported to an appropriate disposal facility.

Not all landfills accept asbestos. The EPA designates landfills in each state specifically used for asbestos disposal.

For instance, in Massachusetts, the only available place to dispose of asbestos is the Waste Management Fitchburg/Westminster Sanitary Landfill. Substantial fines are enforced for anyone disposing of the dangerous substance in inappropriate places.

The contained waste material must be transported in trucks labeled as containing asbestos. 

Landfills that handle asbestos are required to have a designated area for disposing of the material. This area should be clearly delineated from the rest of the landfill.

The landfill is also responsible for ensuring no emissions from the asbestos disposal area and that the leak-tight containers used to contain the material retain their integrity over time.

The asbestos area of a landfill cannot be compacted for this reason, but it does have to be covered.

Can Asbestos Be Recycled?

The disposal process for asbestos is generally considered safe if all rules are followed, but it isn’t perfect. Safe disposal requires a lot of landfill area.

Researchers have been working on methods for recycling asbestos and ACMs that could potentially be used in the future.

For example, a metal pipe with asbestos adhered to it does not need to be thrown out entirely. A chemical solution can remove the adhered fibers so that the metal can be reused.

Researchers also experimented with a combination of mechanical and chemical procedures to treat ACMs to remove the asbestos safely, contain it, and reuse the non-asbestos material.

Another procedure being tested involves changing the fibrous structure of the mineral so that it becomes inert and cannot enter the air where people may inhale it.

More research should be forthcoming into how asbestos can be abated and disposed of while recycling the materials attached to the mineral.

Being able to recycle asbestos will save landfill space, time, and money while keeping people safe.